RS6 for me.. fact it's comfy for day to day is a win as that's where it'll spend 99 percent of its life.. Won't shake my fillings loose every time I drive it.. Now just need lotto to come by..
Two different classes. RS6 is mid size and M3 is compact. RS4 should be compared to the M3 and RS6/RS7 against M5/M8. I’d take the more comfortable, better looking and fast enough Audis in both classes.
@@giggity1144I mean it is smaller than an A8... really the A6 was originally a mid size, everything has just gotten so big that it no longer is, the current 3 series is only a tiny bit smaller than the e32 7 series.
Great review. Ben's observations are so wonderfully granular and rooted in years of experience. Also, CAR deserves credit just for producing this video after both cars are no longer the hot new thing. As for the winner, in my opinion it's 100% RS6, because it's the only one available here in the USA!
Interesting you mention the road noise in the M3 touring. I’ve got a G82 M4 and out of all the performance cars I’ve owned it is quite refined in that regard. In fact it is an impressive mile muncher. My car is running Pirellis though. I’ve read that the Michelin’s are noisier. Also maybe being a couple helps.
Having had Pirelli and Michelin on my G83 I can confirm the Pirelli are quieter. But. The Michelin are a lot better in every other way. And let’s be honest, I guess I can’t really say much about road noise in a convertible 😅
RS6 over 2 tonnes? That's a lot of mass. People have recently been complaining about how all electric cars are 'too heavy', and they are, but this RS6 is surprisingly close to a Taycan in terms of mass. There's something not quite right there.
And the M3 touring is nearly 2 tonnes? All cars EV or conventional are heavy… mandatory emissions and safety systems and all the luxuries and equipment expect means cars are heavy.
lol , the guy : Steering is superb with the m3 , basically every other journalist including myself driving f/g series m3 says: Steering is the thing that's actually worsened. Good review XD
@ 8:53 did the steering wheel buttons look scratched … like someone tried to clean the steering wheel with a metal scourer …. But from other Angela it’s doesn’t look scuffed …?? B
As a current Audi B9 A4 Allroad owner and a lifetime lover of Longroof cars, I still have to go with the RS6. While loving the M3 Touring I have an Audi obsession win or loss.
Ultimately the problem with these performance shared vag platforms, whether it be rs6 or urus, is the placement of the engine all the way over the front axle. They try hard to overcome that inertia with rear steer and traction software, and in something like an rs4 it wasn’t such an issue, but now pushing over 2T it’s really noticeable and massive dynamic compromise
@@gasolinefleetare you kidding?!? You like understeer? This is the reason I don’t like audi, all Audis understeer. It’s very disappointing when you drive quickly in the bends
Many years ago, I owned a C5 followed by a C6 RS6: I NEEDED a big estate car, but WANTED the fastest, and in both iterations, there were no other options in my eyes (I haven't owned one since, as with the amount of mileage I do, the fuel/running costs were crippling, so I moved to the black pump, and have owned various iterations of the A6/S6 Avant 3.0TDi since). So to compare these cars is simply non-sensical to me, as I still NEED the space of an A6 Avant (or E-Class/5 Series Estate), so I simply would not look anywhere near an M3 Estate sized car as an alternative, no matter how fast or 'fun' it was down a country lane (the same reason I wouldn't get an RS4 Estate...... which if the space didn't matter to me, would be the one I'd choose over the M3 Estate anyway, as it is actually faster!). If fun/handling was the priority, then yes, the M3/RS4/C63 size class would be one I would go for: if having the fastest load hauler was the priority, then clearly I'd be looking in the RS6/M5/E63 Estate direction......... these two cars have completely different modus operandi: why don't you just be honest lads, and say the only reason you 'tested' them, was because you happened to have both cars on hand, and hey...... the channel needs content!
I’ve owned both and worth noting unlike most comments on here I’m not a fanboy of either brand, went from Porsche into a sports estate, sold my M3 in a few months, good car but sports seats are uncomfortable which you fall into and out of, my RS6 Performance is just a better daily and all round car and gets more fuss than my Porsche or Aston
The M buckets. There is a technique for getting in and out, namely rear end in first, swing both legs round after / reverse for getting out. Having had them for a couple of years, vs Audi and other M seats and many others, they are the most comfortable seats in 40 years of performance car driving.
To answer the actual question posed, it's really the demographic that each car is aimed at can only proper answer it. To those who are always wanting that always on, fully dynamic chassis setup and the ability to "feel" they are going fast everywhere then any M car is the obvious choice. It seems that the RS6 has always been aimed at a more subdued/mature market, where comfort matters more than the ability to get the tail out at opportunity. The unfortunate stereotype attached to BMW's in general are directly opposite to the RS range (apart from the RS3). This was the one of the deciding factors as to why I personally moved on from full fat M cars. Still love them to bits though, would happily have another parked out the front of my house in the future! When I was originally looking at RS cars I favoured the RS3 but they were all modded to the hilt and although the 5 pot DAZA is legendary I found myself looking more towards the RS6 where classifieds were more focussed on how the car had been looked after more than how it was able to embarrass the rest of the hot hatch brigade at the obligatory traffic light drags. So glad I settled for the C7.5 RS6, it can be violently fast when you want it to be but the more positive attraction it attracts is much more fitting to the age I'll be at the end of this year! It's much more thumbs up and headlight flashes from other drivers, kids out with their phones and more relaxing than the constant harassment from 30 something boy racers with money to spend that has grown far too tedious over the years. I do miss an M car, but thankfully I've got many happy memories with the fun I've had out of them over the years.
Love them both , had them both …. M3 is my choice , purely for the driving aspect , the m3 is like a little race car , you feel confident in it when kicking its head in.
And… the M cockpit. Mechanical buttons are easier, no doubt, especially bouncing along a road. However, once the voice control is dialled in, the need for buttons is almost zero! Asking the car to heat seats, warm up, cool down, adjust heads up, tyre pressure information, turn radio on, apple carplay, etc etc…. BMW works so much better than Audi/VW equivalents.
I think the M5 Touring will be a better direct comparison with the RS6/when it is available. The M3 Touring seems to sit mid-way between the RS4 and RS6.
Good for you Guys , this test was really very well explained and the performance of both Cars was analysed in terms we can all understand. More so than any other car testers I've watched on TH-cam (which is most of them) . Well done then and if I was in the market for either of these cars then it would be straight into the dealers for a test drive.
My man never see youll (ever be lucky enough) to have one. I was a young boy brought up in childcare, started with absolutely nothing. Im now 35, and i got an rs6 c8 last year. Never say never my friend all the best 👍👍
I am an Audi guy, so bias coming, I would choose RS6 over those two. However, put any other car, RS4, RS5 or such, M3 wins by landslide. I love the M3 Touring so much, it does everything really well. I am not a race driver nor have the experience, so to me being able to push a car to 100% like with the BMW is not as necessary as pushing the Audi to 70-80%, where it is the most comfortable and confident. That is probably the biggest difference between them. BMW, as said in the video, is the better Performance choice, while the RS6 is the more daily focused, which would be the reason to buy these cars.
Ive owned too many Audis would feel like buying a similar car again so I went with a M3 Touring to switch it up and looks like ive made the correct choice. + I purchased carbon Vorsteiner grille asap lol
A fully spec’d M340 touring xdrive costs £68k fully loaded. As we all know the B58 engine in that car is very easily modified. Standard it’s nearly 400hp but getting 500hp is very simple and cheap. New M3 is £95k and the Audi is £115k.
No I don't agree with your verdict only with fact that the 2 cars for choice, it's only a matter of preference and that says it all. The preferred choice is the owners choice.
Not a big fan of VAG. Got 1 liter of extra oil with the delivery of my brand new Audi. What I need this for, I asked the dealer. You will see, he said. After 4000 km / 2500 miles the light for low oil come on 😄 Now I went for the M3 Touring instead, im so happy. Very nice Dad Car! And for the M-modes, its brilliant. You always start with road, then you see speed signs and that kind of information in the HUD. Change to sport you take away speed warnings / signs and shows revs in HUD. In track you turn of all unnecessary information in the right part of the screen, and get tyre pressure and so on in the drivers display. However. The M3 Touring is a sportcar with an estate body. The RS6 is a very fast and brutal family car. So witch one is best depend of how you will use the car. PS. My family dont love the carbon seats, but they accept them. I would never spec the car with standard seats, the back is all plastic and you get i M340-feeling over them. However two great cars, nice review.
Don't agree. The best car here is the RS6, because its more balanced in every single item. And if i want a performance drivers car, i can't consider a station wagon in first place. And sorry but the grill design of the M3 still is ugly to the eyes. So as much as i like BMW (and i will choose every single day the M340i Xdrive), in these Vs i'd choose the RS6.
Largely agree. I swapped an F90 M5 comp for the RS6 and, despite the M5 being faster and more of a driver’s car, I much prefer the RS6 because of its all round capability and balance of skills. The M5 was amazing but it rather wants to be an M2 and, frankly, no one should be hustling a 5 metre long 2 tonne car round the twisties whilst leaving the family green around the gills. The RS6 is a monster GT and looks gorgeous inside and out whilst doing it. The younger me fancied an M3 Touring and they look great irl but then younger me would have simply bought an M4 (something slightly younger me did).
Back in the day (sorry, man in his mid thirties), the size disparity between these cars would have put them squarely in a different class. Yes, an E46 estate would have been a lot smaller than an RS6 estate in 2005. But these new cars are both very heavy and very large. You're talking differences in terms of centimetres, so realistically these two are very much in the same bracket now. The lines have been blurred. Frankly it's a question of which brand do you prefer? They both do four wheel drive, they're both too fast for the road (let's be honest here) and they're both bigger than they really need to be. Don't get me wrong, fast estates are the coolest cars out there, but to the average consumer this ultimately comes down to which one you think looks better: they ultimately do the same thing. Shame, as there used to be more variety.
@@geoffbullock8280 each to their own. I drove the G80 in saloon, no doubt it’s a better car for driving on the limit but I’m using it more for the nursery run than any track time. The Audi with DRC was a nicer place to be, and it just looks a million times better in my opinion.
I did try the G80 saloon and still preferred the Audi 😅. I get the BMW is a better car on the limit, but that’s not my use case. I was happy sacrifice some performance for better looks and ride (with Audi’s DRC).
@jamsxr to be honest when the 2 cars were side by side the M3 looked like a pit bull and the RS looked like a Labrador puppy lol. I liked that BMW made sure that they looked like nothing else. Everybody wants to talk about the M3 but the RS4 was quite unnoticed, which could be a good thing to some people I suppose. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 😉
I am ambivalent as I have been driving Audi S and RS models for many years and see the M3 Touring as a real alternative. What I can't get used to, even after a few years, is the BMW's front grille. The RS6 is a nicer vehicle and I just like V8 engines.
I own a M3 but I have a sneaking suspicion that I should have bought the RS6. I might actually still do that. There are some rather specific quirks with the M3 that I only just discovered having had the car for about a month now. Firstly, the brakes in the wet, and this applies specifically to motorway driving where you can drive for long stretches without using the brakes at all, well they don't work. It says so in the user manual actually. Specifically it says you need to dab the brakes every once in a while in the above use-case. I found this out, not quite the hard way but it still scared the shit out of me the other day. Apparently BMW in their infinite wisdom not to include brakes drying feature on the M3 (every other car in the universe has this mind you). So that's one thing you should know about that I don't hear anyone talk about in TH-cam reviews. As I said it is explicitly stated in the user manual but you may not get the chance to read that before you crash so, pro tip. The other quirk is you kind of have to get xdrive otherwise it's impossible to put the power down in the winter months with lots of rain. You'll just look like an asshole sliding around all over the place. It's a bit better when the tires warm up but in the wet, forget it. I can spin the wheels out in third gear it's that bad. And I guess the last thing I don't like about it is it's thirsty. It does even worse than the RS6 if TH-cam tests are to be believed. This one doesn't bother me as much but I was shocked to learn that actually yeah the RS6 does better even with the bigger motor. You can't buy the touring where I live so can't comment on that but I would love one so back to the RS6 idea I guess. Thing is most people will spend 99% of their time with the car never even getting to the 8/10ths let alone going beyond. Having extra space, extra boot space, a sunroof, night vision etc, those are lifestyle items that would make a difference in most people's daily experience. The M3 seems almost a little too focused on the last 2/10ths. I do like it though I just think I may not get the chance to use it in the way it was intended. :(
Did you see the review of AutoExpress and did you hear what the journalist/driver said at the end? He said; even the fact that the RS4 is faster on track, he still would take the keys of the M3 touring ;)
You are not comparing the same category, so it's unfare for the Audi. You should compare the RS6 with the M5. I vote for the RS6 because I have one on order! RS6 Avant performance 2024, Can't wait to get it in July...
RS6 is my daily driver and superb at that job. Critical things for living with the car every day like heating & ventilation /AC controls are to hand vs. buried in screen menus - that’s very important to me. Also has loads of room for the dogs! As a US buyer it really was my only choice, as I didn’t want an E Class AMG. I’m happy to live with slightly poorer 9/10’s driving dynamics for all the daily driver benefits of the Audi.
It's been 3 plus years for bmw m design language and its still ugly. Seats look great and work on the track but horrible to get in and out of. Regardless of Money, RS6 for me.
Rear of the Touring 3 looks epic. Front end yup some 3/4 years later refuses to age gracefully. It’s a dog front end styling. I’d have the 3 though. Smaller. Better driving dynamics.
@@USConnexionIn the dark, at 50 paces, with cataracts. The Audi is better looking from every possible angle and while I do think it’s a little cartoonish it cannot be described as ugly in any area.
Here is the US - we don’t have a choice. RS6 is all we got until the new M5 Touring arrives. I do have an M3CS and that thing is amazing! My RS6 should be here in 2 weeks!
Lol I purchased and shortly sold my M3CS. Nothing special and disappointing performance. My 911 (992) turbo S is more satisfying. My Mercedes E63s is far superior to the Audi. Regardless, enjoy
I have an RS6 here in the US, and it is absolutely the ultimate road trip car. Twice I've traversed three western states in a day (El Paso to Palm Springs, Colorado Springs to Elko, NV), and when I got out I felt just like I did at the start of the trip. When you want to pass, it's like the Millennium Falcon. It's freakin' incredible. Enjoy!
@@pb3382 love it! So much better than my 2023 E63 wagon was. it is heavy, and when you really start pushing it, you different you definitely do feel the heft. I’ve been said, Audi did a much better job hiding and masking the weight did. You can definitely feel the suspension and the sport differential working hard in corners. the only thing that I do regret is that for the 2024 model year, Audi did not offer the car brakes for this model. Because a lot, only do you get the lower top speed, but you also will run out of breaking power earlier in addition to that there is a pesky brake dust issue
@@timmietz you have hit the nail on the head, absolutely spot on review, i have one also. 2021 model C8, one thing to note is they have a horrific alternator issue. With the 48V battery system, the alternator dies. And the whole car dies and breaks down, there is a massive backlog for the alternators from the dealers, rs6/7 rsq8/urus all have the same problem, also the 2 screens inside can go totally blank and stop working, and they need replaced, also the inner driver side wheel arch have runners for the water to escape (stupid idea) and they can clog up with dirt and leaves, and it floods the inside of the car and soaks through the sponge under the carpet, and the car ends up stinking of damp, the pan roof can creak and leak also. 3 of these problems happened to mine, and they are very well known in the rs6 forum, be careful buddy 👍👍
There is a one key point in ownership of cars like these... If you have to explain what they are or what they do, or even in the case of the M3, why they look like that... Then 50% of the magic of ownership is gone, since you spend your time trying to explain. Just sold my F90 M5 and it was this that struck me. If you have to explain what it is, then its not aggressive enough to show it means business. Unless you like a sleeper, then its great. RS6 all day long for me, couldnt do with explaining why the M3 looks the way it does.
BMW or Audi RS6 - which gets your vote?
The one with the V8.
As a diehard BMW fan, I again have to admit that the Audi wagon is far and away the best looking wagon.
Definitely the M3.. a little bit more track orientated too, if you finalize the grocery activities in time 😁💪
RS6.
M5 CS
It should be the M3 Touring vs the RS4 and wait for the M5 Touring to take on the RS6. Anyways the RS5 Avant is also coming to replace the RS4
We did that test last year! Take a look… th-cam.com/video/If3fblbyB6Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=EpBaP6tRuSbU_1El
What is the point of this review then?
@@kristian6622 Why not? No rules about these things..
Bruh the m3 is faster then the rs6 as shown on carwow 😂😂 the m5 will be a competitor too the r8.
@user-my4xu4gf1z 100% correct. It's also a known fact that BMW overboost their cars. They make more HP than advertised. Carwow showed that too.
RS6 exhaust sound is unbelievable. It’s a wild animal
RS6 for me.. fact it's comfy for day to day is a win as that's where it'll spend 99 percent of its life.. Won't shake my fillings loose every time I drive it.. Now just need lotto to come by..
@@malsmith2012 precisely
99%? What are the world’s hardest working taxi driver? 😂
The Audi is a lot more expensive tho, since its technically in competition with the m5 not the m3.
Two different classes. RS6 is mid size and M3 is compact. RS4 should be compared to the M3 and RS6/RS7 against M5/M8. I’d take the more comfortable, better looking and fast enough Audis in both classes.
RS6 midsize? You must be american
@@giggity1144I mean it is smaller than an A8... really the A6 was originally a mid size, everything has just gotten so big that it no longer is, the current 3 series is only a tiny bit smaller than the e32 7 series.
Dude trust me. If ur an audi guy you don't want them to compare the rs4 to this freakn beast of an m3.
Audis are sheet
@babber2536 yet they have better lap times and racing history and suspension setups and drivetrain
With the RS4 Avant being a thing, what's the point of this comparison?
Because the RS4 offers zero competition to the M3
Great review. Ben's observations are so wonderfully granular and rooted in years of experience. Also, CAR deserves credit just for producing this video after both cars are no longer the hot new thing. As for the winner, in my opinion it's 100% RS6, because it's the only one available here in the USA!
Interesting you mention the road noise in the M3 touring. I’ve got a G82 M4 and out of all the performance cars I’ve owned it is quite refined in that regard. In fact it is an impressive mile muncher. My car is running Pirellis though. I’ve read that the Michelin’s are noisier. Also maybe being a couple helps.
Could very much be down to the tyres, yes. M3 Touring isn’t overly loud on road noise, but definitely louder than RS6 (as tested)
Having had Pirelli and Michelin on my G83 I can confirm the Pirelli are quieter. But. The Michelin are a lot better in every other way. And let’s be honest, I guess I can’t really say much about road noise in a convertible 😅
RS6 over 2 tonnes? That's a lot of mass. People have recently been complaining about how all electric cars are 'too heavy', and they are, but this RS6 is surprisingly close to a Taycan in terms of mass. There's something not quite right there.
it is also much bigger than taycan or m3
And the M3 touring is nearly 2 tonnes? All cars EV or conventional are heavy… mandatory emissions and safety systems and all the luxuries and equipment expect means cars are heavy.
larger and options
I had a Taycan Turbo S - the RS6 Performance has a heart and soul the Porsche can only dream of, despite the weight.
These cars are beautiful and majestic I couldn’t bear choose one over the other 😂
@@nadow1899 terrible first world dilemmas
Always loved the RS6 but the BMW front end does help make the choice a bit easier 😂
ah there we have a joke from 2019
Of course it does, the M3 leave that ugly old Audi standing..
lol , the guy : Steering is superb with the m3 , basically every other journalist including myself driving f/g series m3 says: Steering is the thing that's actually worsened. Good review XD
Bmw all day long. That’s why I have one on order 💪🏻 the fact they compare this against the rs6 and not the rs4 shows how good it is.
EXACTLY
💯🤘
You must be a real driving enthusiast....carry on.
@@mikedenkinger9570 proper cute that.
True these audis are nowhere match to BMWS
Wouldn't the proper comparison be we with the RS4 Avant?
We’ve already done that!
th-cam.com/video/If3fblbyB6Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=WYuAqbD3VDpv9uYt
@ 8:53 did the steering wheel buttons look scratched … like someone tried to clean the steering wheel with a metal scourer …. But from other Angela it’s doesn’t look scuffed …?? B
The Audi all day…looks insane.
Alpina B3 Touring, plizzzz...
As a current Audi B9 A4 Allroad owner and a lifetime lover of Longroof cars, I still have to go with the RS6. While loving the M3 Touring I have an Audi obsession win or loss.
what tires are the cars running?
At 20:29 what did he hit???
Ultimately the problem with these performance shared vag platforms, whether it be rs6 or urus, is the placement of the engine all the way over the front axle. They try hard to overcome that inertia with rear steer and traction software, and in something like an rs4 it wasn’t such an issue, but now pushing over 2T it’s really noticeable and massive dynamic compromise
Audi is so much better looking. That's my criteria!
Jag is better looking than both
My criteria is how much one understeers. That‘s why I choose the audi!
My criteria is performance. The fact the audi cost 80k more and it's slower in every aspect is embarrassing
@@gasolinefleetare you kidding?!? You like understeer? This is the reason I don’t like audi, all Audis understeer. It’s very disappointing when you drive quickly in the bends
@@G82WattsRS6 is really competing with the M5. Should be comparing an M3 to the smaller RS4
Excellent review guys. I think you nailed it.
Thanks Phil!
Many years ago, I owned a C5 followed by a C6 RS6: I NEEDED a big estate car, but WANTED the fastest, and in both iterations, there were no other options in my eyes (I haven't owned one since, as with the amount of mileage I do, the fuel/running costs were crippling, so I moved to the black pump, and have owned various iterations of the A6/S6 Avant 3.0TDi since). So to compare these cars is simply non-sensical to me, as I still NEED the space of an A6 Avant (or E-Class/5 Series Estate), so I simply would not look anywhere near an M3 Estate sized car as an alternative, no matter how fast or 'fun' it was down a country lane (the same reason I wouldn't get an RS4 Estate...... which if the space didn't matter to me, would be the one I'd choose over the M3 Estate anyway, as it is actually faster!).
If fun/handling was the priority, then yes, the M3/RS4/C63 size class would be one I would go for: if having the fastest load hauler was the priority, then clearly I'd be looking in the RS6/M5/E63 Estate direction......... these two cars have completely different modus operandi: why don't you just be honest lads, and say the only reason you 'tested' them, was because you happened to have both cars on hand, and hey...... the channel needs content!
So the BMW 550 XD actually is the proper car for you I guess.
unless i missed it, do they mention the massive price difference between the two cars at all? Nearly £30k on list prices.
I’ve owned both and worth noting unlike most comments on here I’m not a fanboy of either brand, went from Porsche into a sports estate, sold my M3 in a few months, good car but sports seats are uncomfortable which you fall into and out of, my RS6 Performance is just a better daily and all round car and gets more fuss than my Porsche or Aston
Does (any kind of) 3-series compare with (any kind of) A6? Isn't it 3-series vs A4 and 5-series vs A6?
The M buckets. There is a technique for getting in and out, namely rear end in first, swing both legs round after / reverse for getting out. Having had them for a couple of years, vs Audi and other M seats and many others, they are the most comfortable seats in 40 years of performance car driving.
To answer the actual question posed, it's really the demographic that each car is aimed at can only proper answer it. To those who are always wanting that always on, fully dynamic chassis setup and the ability to "feel" they are going fast everywhere then any M car is the obvious choice. It seems that the RS6 has always been aimed at a more subdued/mature market, where comfort matters more than the ability to get the tail out at opportunity. The unfortunate stereotype attached to BMW's in general are directly opposite to the RS range (apart from the RS3). This was the one of the deciding factors as to why I personally moved on from full fat M cars. Still love them to bits though, would happily have another parked out the front of my house in the future! When I was originally looking at RS cars I favoured the RS3 but they were all modded to the hilt and although the 5 pot DAZA is legendary I found myself looking more towards the RS6 where classifieds were more focussed on how the car had been looked after more than how it was able to embarrass the rest of the hot hatch brigade at the obligatory traffic light drags. So glad I settled for the C7.5 RS6, it can be violently fast when you want it to be but the more positive attraction it attracts is much more fitting to the age I'll be at the end of this year! It's much more thumbs up and headlight flashes from other drivers, kids out with their phones and more relaxing than the constant harassment from 30 something boy racers with money to spend that has grown far too tedious over the years. I do miss an M car, but thankfully I've got many happy memories with the fun I've had out of them over the years.
What color green is on the m3 touring?
I would say isle of man
I love the M3, and would opt for one. I think a fairer comparison would be RS4 Vs RS6. If they make an M5 Touring then put that against the RS6.
The Audi will not stand a chance... its WAY too old for the new M5
Great review, guys. Both superb cars. But, I still prefer the look of the RS6.
Thanks!
Great review! Having had an M3 Touring, I’d choose the RS6 for the sound alone 😂
Love them both , had them both …. M3 is my choice , purely for the driving aspect , the m3 is like a little race car , you feel confident in it when kicking its head in.
What happened to the Mercedes E63 wagon?
Great video. But for me BMW M3 Touring is more of Audi RS4 Performance fighter and Audi RS6 will be BMW M5 Touring competition 😊😊❤❤
Thanks! Check out our M3 Touring vs RS4 video below:
th-cam.com/video/If3fblbyB6Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=RiDde-pbRL8HFu10
That tells you how much better the M3 is ….💯🤘
Isn't the RS6 more of an M5 rival? Certainly size wise.
As it stands, the V8 Audi sounds amazing. The Beemer ticks every other box, for me.
Eyes just above the steering wheel and complains the seat is too high… guess seeing the road is secondary to actually seeing out?
And… the M cockpit. Mechanical buttons are easier, no doubt, especially bouncing along a road. However, once the voice control is dialled in, the need for buttons is almost zero! Asking the car to heat seats, warm up, cool down, adjust heads up, tyre pressure information, turn radio on, apple carplay, etc etc…. BMW works so much better than Audi/VW equivalents.
so what your saying is a m40i in sports mode is the best daily
my view point is any wagon at 3 litres plus an 911 even 996 is the best balance.
My dream car is the 2024 Audi RS6 Performance in Florett Silver, Carbon Package, Red Calipers, Sport Exhaust, B&O stereo, etc!!! 🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁
I think the M5 Touring will be a better direct comparison with the RS6/when it is available. The M3 Touring seems to sit mid-way between the RS4 and RS6.
Both great choices 👍
Even if the M3 touring was available in the states. Id still take my rs6 performance. The exterior looks 100x times better.
@@95VR407FA5 at least
Why are we comparing the m3 to the rs6, should it not be against the rs4?
Did you actually weigh them though? I suspect the Audi is much heavier than quoted
Love both of them but I personally love the RS6 Performance more
Good for you Guys , this test was really very well explained and the performance of both Cars was analysed in terms we can all understand. More so than any other car testers I've watched on TH-cam (which is most of them) . Well done then and if I was in the market for either of these cars then it would be straight into the dealers for a test drive.
Thanks!
@@CARmagazineTV You fell for the bot.. :D
I've been waiting for this for quite some time now, well done on a thorough review. Loved every bit of this
Thanks!
Have you compared the B5 vs RS6?
Not a choice I’ll ever be lucky enough to make, but RS6 for me. I’ll take the added comfort over the slight advantage in the twisties 👍
My man never see youll (ever be lucky enough) to have one. I was a young boy brought up in childcare, started with absolutely nothing. Im now 35, and i got an rs6 c8 last year. Never say never my friend all the best 👍👍
I am an Audi guy, so bias coming, I would choose RS6 over those two. However, put any other car, RS4, RS5 or such, M3 wins by landslide. I love the M3 Touring so much, it does everything really well. I am not a race driver nor have the experience, so to me being able to push a car to 100% like with the BMW is not as necessary as pushing the Audi to 70-80%, where it is the most comfortable and confident. That is probably the biggest difference between them. BMW, as said in the video, is the better Performance choice, while the RS6 is the more daily focused, which would be the reason to buy these cars.
The Aether, you should do videos about it..
Ive owned too many Audis would feel like buying a similar car again so I went with a M3 Touring to switch it up and looks like ive made the correct choice. + I purchased carbon Vorsteiner grille asap lol
A fully spec’d M340 touring xdrive costs £68k fully loaded. As we all know the B58 engine in that car is very easily modified. Standard it’s nearly 400hp but getting 500hp is very simple and cheap. New M3 is £95k and the Audi is £115k.
Nobody does fast estates like Audi does. I'd take the RS6 anyday over the M3 Touring... 🙂
The front grill is what made me buy the G80 no regrets 💯🤘
No I don't agree with your verdict only with fact that the 2 cars for choice, it's only a matter of preference and that says it all. The preferred choice is the owners choice.
Audi RS6, just stunning.
They had to get James into the car for the RS6 drive to ask Ben questions about it when he clearly didn't want to pay it any compliments 🤣
The inside video is different to the outside because he has the wipers on driving in the rain and the outside video is dry no rain that’s weird
Different categories. You should compare it with the RS4
Not a big fan of VAG. Got 1 liter of extra oil with the delivery of my brand new Audi. What I need this for, I asked the dealer. You will see, he said. After 4000 km / 2500 miles the light for low oil come on 😄 Now I went for the M3 Touring instead, im so happy. Very nice Dad Car! And for the M-modes, its brilliant. You always start with road, then you see speed signs and that kind of information in the HUD. Change to sport you take away speed warnings / signs and shows revs in HUD. In track you turn of all unnecessary information in the right part of the screen, and get tyre pressure and so on in the drivers display.
However. The M3 Touring is a sportcar with an estate body. The RS6 is a very fast and brutal family car. So witch one is best depend of how you will use the car.
PS. My family dont love the carbon seats, but they accept them. I would never spec the car with standard seats, the back is all plastic and you get i M340-feeling over them.
However two great cars, nice review.
scared of a little maintenance break-in period
Don't agree. The best car here is the RS6, because its more balanced in every single item. And if i want a performance drivers car, i can't consider a station wagon in first place. And sorry but the grill design of the M3 still is ugly to the eyes. So as much as i like BMW (and i will choose every single day the M340i Xdrive), in these Vs i'd choose the RS6.
@@martinortiz575 good man
Largely agree. I swapped an F90 M5 comp for the RS6 and, despite the M5 being faster and more of a driver’s car, I much prefer the RS6 because of its all round capability and balance of skills. The M5 was amazing but it rather wants to be an M2 and, frankly, no one should be hustling a 5 metre long 2 tonne car round the twisties whilst leaving the family green around the gills. The RS6 is a monster GT and looks gorgeous inside and out whilst doing it. The younger me fancied an M3 Touring and they look great irl but then younger me would have simply bought an M4 (something slightly younger me did).
BMW is a drivers car. Audi is a sales reps car.
BMW all day long. The Carbon seats are hard to get in and out off but they are very comfortable, even on longer journeys.
Back in the day (sorry, man in his mid thirties), the size disparity between these cars would have put them squarely in a different class. Yes, an E46 estate would have been a lot smaller than an RS6 estate in 2005. But these new cars are both very heavy and very large. You're talking differences in terms of centimetres, so realistically these two are very much in the same bracket now. The lines have been blurred. Frankly it's a question of which brand do you prefer? They both do four wheel drive, they're both too fast for the road (let's be honest here) and they're both bigger than they really need to be. Don't get me wrong, fast estates are the coolest cars out there, but to the average consumer this ultimately comes down to which one you think looks better: they ultimately do the same thing. Shame, as there used to be more variety.
Surely it would have been better to wait for the M5 Touring?
Tried to like the G80 but it’s even worse looking in the flesh. Love my RS4 😅
The M3 is a different level to RS4, I know I moved from RS4 to M3 Comp, drive one and you will change, guaranteed 😊
@@geoffbullock8280 each to their own. I drove the G80 in saloon, no doubt it’s a better car for driving on the limit but I’m using it more for the nursery run than any track time. The Audi with DRC was a nicer place to be, and it just looks a million times better in my opinion.
I did try the G80 saloon and still preferred the Audi 😅. I get the BMW is a better car on the limit, but that’s not my use case. I was happy sacrifice some performance for better looks and ride (with Audi’s DRC).
@jamsxr to be honest when the 2 cars were side by side the M3 looked like a pit bull and the RS looked like a Labrador puppy lol. I liked that BMW made sure that they looked like nothing else. Everybody wants to talk about the M3 but the RS4 was quite unnoticed, which could be a good thing to some people I suppose. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 😉
@@geoffbullock8280 fair play, we all like different things. Enjoy your M3 👊🏻
I am ambivalent as I have been driving Audi S and RS models for many years and see the M3 Touring as a real alternative. What I can't get used to, even after a few years, is the BMW's front grille. The RS6 is a nicer vehicle and I just like V8 engines.
I own a M3 but I have a sneaking suspicion that I should have bought the RS6. I might actually still do that. There are some rather specific quirks with the M3 that I only just discovered having had the car for about a month now. Firstly, the brakes in the wet, and this applies specifically to motorway driving where you can drive for long stretches without using the brakes at all, well they don't work. It says so in the user manual actually. Specifically it says you need to dab the brakes every once in a while in the above use-case. I found this out, not quite the hard way but it still scared the shit out of me the other day. Apparently BMW in their infinite wisdom not to include brakes drying feature on the M3 (every other car in the universe has this mind you). So that's one thing you should know about that I don't hear anyone talk about in TH-cam reviews. As I said it is explicitly stated in the user manual but you may not get the chance to read that before you crash so, pro tip.
The other quirk is you kind of have to get xdrive otherwise it's impossible to put the power down in the winter months with lots of rain. You'll just look like an asshole sliding around all over the place. It's a bit better when the tires warm up but in the wet, forget it. I can spin the wheels out in third gear it's that bad.
And I guess the last thing I don't like about it is it's thirsty. It does even worse than the RS6 if TH-cam tests are to be believed. This one doesn't bother me as much but I was shocked to learn that actually yeah the RS6 does better even with the bigger motor.
You can't buy the touring where I live so can't comment on that but I would love one so back to the RS6 idea I guess. Thing is most people will spend 99% of their time with the car never even getting to the 8/10ths let alone going beyond. Having extra space, extra boot space, a sunroof, night vision etc, those are lifestyle items that would make a difference in most people's daily experience. The M3 seems almost a little too focused on the last 2/10ths. I do like it though I just think I may not get the chance to use it in the way it was intended. :(
Wagons forever!
Rs6 will always be iconic
I wish you compared m3 with Rs4 competition....Many including AutoExpress channel say its better than the m3 in almost everything
We have compared RS4 and M3:
th-cam.com/video/If3fblbyB6Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=WYuAqbD3VDpv9uYt
Did you see the review of AutoExpress and did you hear what the journalist/driver said at the end? He said; even the fact that the RS4 is faster on track, he still would take the keys of the M3 touring ;)
I want both.
They are both fast estate cars but one has a V8 and the other doesn't.
Can’t compare M3 touring to that other car. Any1 saying the Audi looks better, it means u haven’t seen an M3 touring in person
Audi RS6 all day long with that lovely V8! Look at it!! It looks fantastic!!!!
What about AMG?
both amazing cars would go crazy if needed to pick one :D
bmw driver is just bmw fann
Being a BMW fan seems quite obvious: they are just better than Audi's.
for a everyday car with family then the rs6 by far
RS6 over everything for me. Personal preference. Very nice M3 though
Touring all the way!!!🔥🔥🔥
You are not comparing the same category, so it's unfare for the Audi. You should compare the RS6 with the M5. I vote for the RS6 because I have one on order! RS6 Avant performance 2024, Can't wait to get it in July...
RS6 will break and need an alternator replacement at 20,000 miles :)
My man knows his cars. Rs6 c8 owner here and mine lasted 17k miles, waited 3 months for the backlog. Car sat in the audi dealer 😂😂😂😂
The RS6 should be compared to Alpina's B5, the M3 plays in the RS4 class.
RS6 is my daily driver and superb at that job. Critical things for living with the car every day like heating & ventilation /AC controls are to hand vs. buried in screen menus - that’s very important to me. Also has loads of room for the dogs! As a US buyer it really was my only choice, as I didn’t want an E Class AMG. I’m happy to live with slightly poorer 9/10’s driving dynamics for all the daily driver benefits of the Audi.
Oncs a beamer always a beamer. BMW makes driving fun.
It's been 3 plus years for bmw m design language and its still ugly. Seats look great and work on the track but horrible to get in and out of. Regardless of Money, RS6 for me.
Rear of the Touring 3 looks epic. Front end yup some 3/4 years later refuses to age gracefully. It’s a dog front end styling. I’d have the 3 though. Smaller. Better driving dynamics.
Nah the m3 looks great!!
Says the beaver
@@USConnexionIn the dark, at 50 paces, with cataracts.
The Audi is better looking from every possible angle and while I do think it’s a little cartoonish it cannot be described as ugly in any area.
Same.
The RS6 engine note is the icing on the cake too.
Here is the US - we don’t have a choice. RS6 is all we got until the new M5 Touring arrives. I do have an M3CS and that thing is amazing! My RS6 should be here in 2 weeks!
Lol I purchased and shortly sold my M3CS. Nothing special and disappointing performance. My 911 (992) turbo S is more satisfying. My Mercedes E63s is far superior to the Audi. Regardless, enjoy
I have an RS6 here in the US, and it is absolutely the ultimate road trip car. Twice I've traversed three western states in a day (El Paso to Palm Springs, Colorado Springs to Elko, NV), and when I got out I felt just like I did at the start of the trip. When you want to pass, it's like the Millennium Falcon. It's freakin' incredible. Enjoy!
@@timmietz how you finding the rs6
@@pb3382 love it! So much better than my 2023 E63 wagon was. it is heavy, and when you really start pushing it, you different you definitely do feel the heft. I’ve been said, Audi did a much better job hiding and masking the weight did. You can definitely feel the suspension and the sport differential working hard in corners. the only thing that I do regret is that for the 2024 model year, Audi did not offer the car brakes for this model. Because a lot, only do you get the lower top speed, but you also will run out of breaking power earlier in addition to that there is a pesky brake dust issue
@@timmietz you have hit the nail on the head, absolutely spot on review, i have one also. 2021 model C8, one thing to note is they have a horrific alternator issue. With the 48V battery system, the alternator dies. And the whole car dies and breaks down, there is a massive backlog for the alternators from the dealers, rs6/7 rsq8/urus all have the same problem, also the 2 screens inside can go totally blank and stop working, and they need replaced, also the inner driver side wheel arch have runners for the water to escape (stupid idea) and they can clog up with dirt and leaves, and it floods the inside of the car and soaks through the sponge under the carpet, and the car ends up stinking of damp, the pan roof can creak and leak also. 3 of these problems happened to mine, and they are very well known in the rs6 forum, be careful buddy 👍👍
Don’t quite get the comparison here. So many journalists do this????? M3 vs RS4 & M5 vs RS6. Come on folks……
I'll take the Alpina B5 touring thanks.
Rs6 all day
BMW is ugly, but fans are marketing it up
Rs6 for Sure
Audi makes better looking estate cars ❤😊
BMW must release a M5 Touring, the RS6's competition is the Panamera which is better in numerous ways
M3 all day
There is a one key point in ownership of cars like these...
If you have to explain what they are or what they do, or even in the case of the M3, why they look like that... Then 50% of the magic of ownership is gone, since you spend your time trying to explain.
Just sold my F90 M5 and it was this that struck me. If you have to explain what it is, then its not aggressive enough to show it means business. Unless you like a sleeper, then its great.
RS6 all day long for me, couldnt do with explaining why the M3 looks the way it does.
Second hand, face lifted E63s estate for me all day
Surely the RS4 should have been pitched against the M3?